Shoe machine



Oct. 13, 1936. B, s sTElNER 2,056,988

SHOE MACHINE Filed Dec. 8, 1954 a @@@Lww/f 'y My@ 5 Patented Oct. 13,1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE The Peerless Machinery Company,

Boston,

Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 8, 1934,SerialrNo. 756,641

1o claims. (C1. 12-51) This invention pertains to shoe machinery andrelates more particularly to mechanism for compressing and shaping themarginal portion of the quarter of a shoe upper. The upper edge of anely finished shoe should be free from any appearance of undue bulk,thickness, or clumsiness of constructiomand the margin of the uppershould t snugly about the ankle of the wearer (or about the top of thelast during manufacture). While these characteristics are desirable,they are not always easy to attain, especially in making the cheapergrades of shoe, where expensive operations must be avoided and where thework must be done at a rate of speed which discourages or precludes anygreat care on the part of the operator.

The upper of a shoe usually comprises several thicknesses of material,for example, an outer member and a lining, and frequently reinforce ordoublermembers interposed between such outer member and lining.Customarily the outer member is folded inwardly at its margin, and thecorresponding margin of the lining is brought into contact with theinwardly folded material of the outer member, and the parts are unitedby a sewed seam, the stitches passing through both thicknesses of thefolded materialV and through the lining. In order to avoid bulkiness ithas heretofore been proposed to skive the margin of 'the lining to aVery thin feather edge before securing it to the outer member of theupper, but the skiving operation adds materially to the expense ofmaking the shoe, and the skived lining has a tendency to tear out aftera comparatively short period of use.

As the result of considerable experiment, I have found that theappearance of the margin of the upper may be considerably improved byccmpressing and compacting the margin of the lining, for example, bypassing it between pressure rolls, so as substantially to reduce thethickness of the marginal portion of the lining material. By proceedingin this manner the raw edge of the lining is compacted and made thinner,but is not substantially weakened and ydoes not show any tendency totear out when in use.

. In stitching the lining to the outer member of the upper, the foldedmaterial of the outer member is guided by means ci a gauge, butfrequently by reason of haste or carelessness on the part of theoperator, or on account of the character of the materials employed, thecontact of the work with the gauge causes the fold to assume a distinctbead-like or thickened form with a tendency 55 to curl outwardly andthus leave a distinct and unsightly gap between' it and the lining,which is thus exposed to view. The lining is undertrimmed, usuallyconcomitantly .withV the stitching operation, but this under-trimmingleaves the lining with a raw edge which is sometimes spread 5 during thetrimming operation so that it may at least have the appearance of beingthicker after trimming than is the body of the lining material. Theabove-noted defects are not such as can be cured in the lastingoperation or in the usual 10 subsequent operations, and not only detractfrom the nicety of appearance of the finished shoe, but prevent the edgeof the upper from fitting as snugly about` the foot of the wearer as isdesirable for looks and comfort. 15

In the course of myexperiments above noted (with the object of thinningthe edge of the lining by compacting or Vpressing such edge) I havediscovered that the folded marginal portion of the outermember mayreadily be compressed 20 and thinned concomitantly with the thinning ofthe lining, as for example by the employment of presser devices ofappropriate shape, for instance rollers having complementally shapedbeveled edges. By such means the entire marginrof the shoe upper may becompacted and thinned, and at the same time caused to assume a slightinward curvature so that the top of the'shoe tends snugly to t about thelast. The pressure, employed for thinning the margin of the upper,Vfiattens and elongates the folded edge of the outer member so that thelining appears to have been under-trimmed further than is ordinarilypossible in the trimming machine, thus further enhancing the appearanceof the completed shoe.

The principal object of the presentvinvention is to provide means forshaping the marginal portion ofv theshoe upper, as above described, bythe proper application of pressure, and preferably heat, so as to attenthe fold or bead in 40 .the outer material of the upper; compress theedge portion of the lining material; compact the margin of the upper sothat its component parts do not show any tendency to gap, and to reducethe apparent thickness of the upper; and preferably to cause the marginof the upper to assume a slight curvature (in vertical section) with itsconcavity inward so that in the completed shoe the edge of the uppertends snugly to hug the foot of the wearer.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide improved driveconnections for a bodily movable presser roll such as to ensure apositive drive of said roll inall positions ofr the latter withoutsubstantial interference with the 55 desired bodily movement of the rolland without resort to the use of a spring or similar type of flexibleshaft such as commonly employed in these machines, A further object isto provide drive connections for the bodily movable roll such that agiven roll may be exchanged' for another if desiredV without dismantlingthe machine or requiring special tools o-r special skill or the expend-`1 iture of an undue amount of time.

A further object is to provide improved means for supporting the bodilymovable roll so asto facilitate the application of the spring pressurefor urgingV it toward the other Vroll and also Vto facilitate'itsmovement away from the otherfroll Vat will by lmeans of'a pedal orothermanually `actua-ble device.

YVvices, for example rolls having complemental A further object is toprovide .presser debeveled faces, as to perform ithe above operations ina simple and expeditous manner.

Other objects and advantages of the invention .willnbe .apparent from.perusal of the following more :detailed description in which referenceis made tto the accompanyingdrawing, wherein Fig.1 is an elevationofthe. machine, viewed from :the left side, with .certain parts brokenaway;

Y certain Yparts omitted;

Fig. 2 isV .a fragmentary elevation .of the machine, viewed from therightside, `-with'certain parts inver-tical section; *.Fig.'3`is afront'elevation of the machine with Y Fig. 4 is a section to larger.scale on the line 4.-`4 of Fig. 2;V H Y- rlig.v '5 is a lfragmentaryelevation illustrating one element of the drive mechanism forpthelupperpresser roll; r j

Fig. 6 -is a fragmentary elevationillustrating another element of suchdri-ve'mechanism;

' Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section 'through the presser rolls,showing the top edge portion of a shoe upper; Y Y

' "Fig. 8Y is Aa fragmentaryfdiagrammatic vertical section, showing theupper marginal portion vof a shoe upper', to"largelscale, as Yit mayappear 'at the'completion of the stitching operation; Y 'Y "Fig, 9 lisasimilar view, showing the appearance Y ofthe: margin after it has beenshaped bythe mechanism herein disclosed; and

Fig. '10 is a diagrammatic 'view illustrating.V

presser rolls yof different peripheral contour.V

Fig. 8, I have shown, to large scale and withY some exaggeration for`purposes of description,

thelining has been secured to the outer member of the upper. While inordinary practice either or both the outer member andthe lining may beprovided with reinforce VmateriaL'such as a doubler, such reinforce'material has `been omitted in Fig. '8'ffor simplicity of illustration.The outer member 4U of the -upper is folded at F so that iits Vfree edgelies atfE. .A seam comprising stitches E 'unites ther-lininglLrto'bOththicknesses 0f the fold F. V'The edge e of the liningfis under-trimmed,Yusually concemitantly with 'the stitching, so that it llies slightlybelow the top o'f the fold' Fjwhich isintended to conceal the edge e.While reasonlably desirable results may l'be obtained by. skillfuloperators using good materials, itffrequently happens lthat the fold Fassumes a beaded form,Y as shown Vin FigpS, the material of the foldleaning outwardly'and away from `the edge e ofthe lining, thus' leavingagap G v,between the parts and yexposing the raw'edge 'c2 of the lining,which is sometimes left rough Iorap'parently V'thickened' by theslander-trimming operation. By the use of Vthe apparatus now about to bedescribed, the Y margin of the upper may be so pressed and shaped as toassume the finished Vappearance illustrated in Fig. 9, wherein the foldF has been flattened,V Y

the edge e' Vof the lining thinned down, and the entire marginal portionof the upper compacted and preferably caused to assume a slightcurvaturewith its concavity at the inner side as indicated at X. The margin ofthe upper thus has aV far neater` and more finished appearance and is`adapted to trmore perfectly about the foot of the wearer than when mynovel shaping operation is not performed.v

l Referring to the drawing, theV numeral i designates the base Vof ythemachine frame, such base beingadapted to be mounted upon any appropriatesupport, for example a bench or table.

. -and tobeboltedor otherwise secured to the latter.

From this base rises a column 2 which carries vertically spaced,laterally extending arms 3 and '4. i

Ashaft 5 is arranged to turn in4 aY bearing in the column I2 .and in analigned bearing inV a bracket-6, forming a part ofthe arm 3. The shaft 5extends rearwardly Vbeyond the column Zand has fixed on its projectingend 1a drive pulley 1 and a sprocket wheel 8. At its opposite end theshaft 'is furnished with a'pinion VEl (Fig. il) which meshes witha gearIf ona shaft. IJI journaled in suitable bearings in the bracket 6 and asecond bracket I2 also carried by the arm 3. YAt its forward end theshaft II has fixed thereto by a set screw I'Ia the lower presser rollI3, whichias here VVillustrated is provided with a peripheral edgeYcomprising a cylindrical portion and a beveledV portion.

A sprocket `chain I5 engages-the sprocket wheel 8 and passes around asprocket I-6 Aon a shaft vI8 mounted to turn ina long bearing `openinginY the column 2. At its forward end (FigfZ) this shaft I8 is providedwith a substantial spherical head JI 9 united to the shaft proper by aneck portionV 2 Ia (Fig. 5.) of reduced diameter. This head I9telescopes within an axial bore in an elongateVVV rigid,Y tubulartransmission member 20. VVThe head I9 is furnished with a slot 2I(elongate axially of the shaft I8 and closed at both ends), and thisslot receives a pin 2Ib Whose opposite -ends are soV fixed in the wallsof the tubular transmission Y member 20. The opposite'end of this member2D telescopes over a sphericallyi curvedrhead portion 22 'of la shaft 23mounted to turnin bearings nY a m-ovable bracket 24. 23 has liixedly4secured thereto the upper presser roll25. 'Y f The head 22, at the rearend of the shaft 23, is connected `to the latter by a neck'portion 22aof reduced diameter, and the head member 22A is furnished withan'elon'gate slot 22h, which is open at its rear end and'which receivesa pin 22c whose Vopposite ends are fixed in the walls of the tubularrigid transmission'member 20. The shaft 23 lis furnished with'adepressi-on 23EL which normally receives the inner end of a set screw23b in Va collar 23c which prevents axial movement of this Y shaft.However, by retracting the setscrew from the depression 23a, the shaft23 may Vreadily be moved axially from out of its bearingrthe open endedslot 221J permitting ready separation of the shaft fromvits driving pin22C., It isY thus readily possible to remove the shaft 23 with the upperpresser Yroll 25 for repairs, or for substitution of a new presser rollfor one which has become worn, or for one of a different peripheralcontour. As here shown the upper presser roll 25 has acon- At itsforward end the shaft Y Y soY vex peripheral edge 26 complemental oftheperipheral edge of the lower roll I3. L'Obviou'sly, rolls may beprovided for imparting "any desired shape to the margin of the upper,for example rolls having complemental concave andconvex facesrespectively, bevele-d faces alone or with surfaces of other shape, asindicated for instance in Fig. 10.

The bracket 24, which provides the bearingfor the upper presser rollshaft, is pivotally mounted on a shaft 27 arranged in an elongatebearingV in a bracket member 28 carried by the arm 4. A spring 29interposed between the brackets 24 and 2B permits a slight yielding ofthe bracket 24 axial- 1y of the shaft 23. The bracket 24 is furnishedwith a socket, open at its top, for the reception of a heating unit'30,which may be an electrical unit supplied with current through a exibleconductor 3i. This unit keeps thebracket 24 at a predeterminedtemperature, the heat from the bracket being transmitted to the presserVroll 25, which contacts with the bracket, so that the upper presserroll may be kept hot to facilitate the pressing operation.

A shaft 32, substantially parallel to the shaft I and to the left of thelatter, is mounted to turn in aligned bearings in the column 2' and inthe bracket 28, and adjacent to its forward end this shaft is furnishedwith a crank arm 32a, carrying a crank pin or lifter 33 which restsagainst the right-hand face of the pivoted bracket 24 at a point in aplane substantially above the pivotal axis of said bracket.

t a point spaced forwardly from the column 2 the shaft 32 is providedwith a collar 34 (Fig, 1), which may be held fixed to the shaft by meansof an elongate set screw 35. The collar also carries an arm 36preferably provided with an opening at its outer end to receive the endof a flexible or other connecting element 31 leading downward to atreadle. The set screw 35 is preferably of such length that it maycontact with the upper arm 4 of the frame at times, and thus limitturning of the shaft 32 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3. Y

The upper arm 4 of the frame is furnished with a bracket 38 projectingto the left, and this bracket has-a screw threaded opening for thereception of an adjusting screw 39, whose end bears against acompression spring 40, which exerts a resilient thrust against the upperpart of the pivote-d bracket 24,-tending to turn said bracket in aclockwise direction about the axis of the shaft 21.

From inspection of Fig. 3 it may be noted that the shaft 21 is locatedslightly to the left of a vertical plane passing through the axis of theshaft II, and in a horizontal plane above that of the bite of thepresser rolls, while the pin 33 is located well above the shaft 21, andpreferably at a point substantially vertically above the shaft 23. Withthis arrangement a slight downward motion of the arm 35 rocks theshaft32,randlby engagement of the pin 33 with the upper part of thebracket 24, causes the bracket 24 to turn about its pivot shaft 27,thereby bodily lifting the upper presser roll 25 away from the lowerpresser roll I3. However, as soon as the arm 35 is released, the spring46 urges the bracket 24 and the presser roll 25 toward normal position,such movement being limited by engagement of the set screw 35 with theframe. By reason of the difference in the lengths of the lever armsthrough which the spring 40 and the resisting force of the work act, aVery heavy pressure is obtained. By loosening the set screw 35, thecollar 34 with its arm 36 may be adjusted circumferentially of the shaftv Preferably a work supporting table T ist mounted on'the lower' arm 3of the frame to assist the Operator inl holding the work .in properposition while presenting its edgefor engagement by the presser rolls.

vIn operation, assuming that the bracket 24 has been heated so as vtoheat the upper presser roll 25,. theoperator, having the workiinreadiness with its edge folded, and with the'seam con pleted, places hisfoot on the treadle (not shown), thereby' depressing thearmy 36andraising the upper presser roll 25 so as `t'o permit the insertion ofthe edge of the upper between the rolls. The pulley 'i is turned atproper speed by means ofla belt (not shown), and thus drives the shafts5 and IB, thereby turning the presser rolls in opposite directions.between the rolls'y the operator immediately releases the treadle,whereupon the spring 4B forces the rolls Atoward each other. Suchlifting of the presser roll 25 does not interfere with the driving ofthis roll, since the described connections between the shafts I8 and 23,including the spherical heads and reduced neck portions of said shafts,are such as to allow the rigid transmission member to take up an angularposition relatively to the axes of the shafts I and 23 and thus permitshaft 23 to be moved out of axial alignment with the shaftl, whileat thesame time being driven byv the latter.

As the rolls and I3 rotate in contact with the work, they press the edgeofthe latter, shaping it in conformity with the peripheralconfigurations of the rolls, and so compressing the material as toprovide a properly finished edge.A By reason of the heating of theupperroll, the work receives a permanent set lwhile being compressed, so thatit retains its shape after it has passed between the rolls.

- As above noted, the upper presser roll with its shaft 23, as well asthe lower roll I3, may readily beremoved for replacement or repairswithout dismantling the machine, while the employment of the rigidtransmission member 29, which receives at its opposite ends thespherically curved head portions I3 and 22 of the shafts I8 and 23respectively, permits vthe roll 25 to bedriven without vinterruptionregardless of the thicknessV may be arranged to contact with the table Tor other convenient part, thereby to relieve `the pin 33 from pressureexcept when such pin is actuated to separate the rolls.

While I have' herein illustrated one desirable embodimentof theinvention by way of example, I wish it to' be understood that theinvention is not necessarily limited to the specific details hereindisclosed, but that equivalent arrangements are regarded as fallingwithin thev scope of the invention.`

1. 4A machine' for compressing and shaping theV upper'edge of thequarterf of a shoe whereby to compact the marginal portion of anVundertrimmed lining and to flatten the folded marginal Afterintroducing the work imparting a slight inward curvature to the top edgeVof the quarter, said machine comprising a pair of presser rolls betweenwhichY said top edge,Y

of the quarter may be passed, said rolls` having peripheral edgescomprising surfaces which are inclined relatively to the axes of therespective rolls,: the inclined surface of one roll sloping outwardlyand away from the roll axis and being designed to contact the outersurface `of the ktop ofthe quarter, and the inclined surface of theother roll sloping inwardly toward the roll axis and being vdesigned toengage the lining of the quarter, drive means operative positively toturn the rolls in opposite directions, means support-V ing one rollforbodily movement toward and from the other, and resilient meansdesigned and arranged to urge the bodily movable roll toward the otherwith powerful pressure.

, f2. A machine for compressing and shaping the upper edge of thequarter of a shoe whereby to compact the marginalportion of anundertrimmed lining and to flatten the folded marginal portion of theouter member of the quarter while imparting a' slight inward curvatureto the top edge of the quarter, said machine comprising a pair ofpresser rolls between which said top edge of .the quarter may be passed,said rolls having peripheral edges comprising substantially cylin,drical portions and adjacent beveled portions, the beveled edge portionof'one roll fiaring outwardly away from the rollaxis and being designedto contact the outer `surface of the top of the quarterl and the bevelededge portion of the other roll sloping inwardly'toward the roll vaxisvand being designed to engage the lining of the'quarter, drive meansoperative .to turn the rolls in opposite directions, means supportingone roll for bodily movement toward and from the other, and resilientmeans designed and arranged to urge the bodily movable roll toward theotherv roll. Y Y

3. In a 'machine of the class described, a pair of co-mplemental presserrolls, means providing a fixed axis about whichone roll turns, a movablebracket provided with a bearing opening parallel to said fixed axis, ashaft constituting a pivotal support for the bracket, the latter beingalso movable axially of said shaft, a shaft for the other roll turningin said bearing opening in the bracket, means for moving said bracketabout its pivotal support to separaterthe rolls, a springr urging thebracket endwise along its pivotal supporting shaft, and drive meansforsaid roll shaft normally. operative to turn it in l all positions of thebracket. Y

4. In a machine of the class described, a pair of coniplemental presserrolls, a shaft for one roll turning in fixed bearings, a movable bracketprovided with a bearing opening in which turns a second shaft parallelto said first shaft, means fixing the second roll to said latter shaft,said latter shaft having a depression and a releasable retaining elementnormally entering said depression to prevent axial movement of saidshaftV 5. Ina machine of the, class described having a pair ofcomplementa-l presser 'rolls and a movable bearing Vfor :one of saidrolls solconstructed and arranged as to permit bodily movement ofthelatterroll toward and from the first, in combinationameans fordriving the bodily movable rollin all .positions of the latter,including a shaft to which said roll is fixed, said shaft having aspherically curved head at one end, the head having anaxially elongateslot therein, a drive shaft turning in fixed ybearings,lsaid drive shafthaving a spherically curved head provided with` an axially elongateslot, aV rigid transmission memberv having hollow end portions whichrespectively receive the heads of said shafts; a pinV the latter rolltoward and from the first, in vcombination, means for driving the bodilymovable roll in all positions of the latter, including a shaft to whichsaid roll is fixed, said shaft having a spherically curved head at oneend, said head having an Yaxially elongateslot open at` the end of theshaft, a drive shaft also having a spherically curved head at one end,said head having anaxially velongate slot closed at both ends,Y a

rigid transmission member hollow at each end,

each such hollow end telescoping over one of the spherical` shaft headsrespectively and pins extending diametrically across said hollow ends ofthe transmission member and through the slots in therespective shaftheads.r

a 7. Ina machine of the class described having a pair `of Acomplementalpresser rollsV and a movable bearing for one of said rolls soconstructed and arranged as to permit bodily movementrvof the `latterroll toward and from the first, in combination, means for driving thebodily movable roll in all positions of the latter, including a shaft towhich said roll is fixed, said shaft having an axially elongate lslot inone end, a drive shaft Aturning'in fixed bearings and having an axialslot in one end, a rigid transmissionvmember having hollow end portionswhich telescopically receive the slotted ends of :said shafts, said endsbeing of such shape and dimensions as to permit the transmission memberto swing angularly with respect to the axes of the shafts, and membersfixed to the end portions of the transmis-V sion member and entering theslots in said shaft ends, thereby` to transmit rotation of the driveshaft through the transmission member to the roll carrying shaft. Y Y Y8. Ina machine of the class described having a pair ofcomplementalpresserrolls a shaft for the lower roll arranged to turn infixed bearings, a movable bracket having a bearing for the shaftcarrying the upper roll, pivotal means for the bracket providing apivotal axis offset laterally from the vertical plane through the axisof the bottom roll, and in a planeabove the horizontal plane of the bite`of the rolls, a spring engaging thebracket at a point more remote fromthe bracket axis than is the bite of the rolls, said spring tendingyieldingly to swing the bracket so as to-urge the upper roll toward thelower roll, a lifter member engaging thebracket at a point more remotefrom the bite of the rolls than is the point at which the spring engagesthe bracket and substantially vertically above the axis of the lowerroll, and means operative to move said lifter member toward the Verticalplane through the axis of the bracket.

9. In a machine of the class described having a pair of complementalpresser rolls, a shaft for the lower roll arranged to turn in fixedbearings, a movable bracket having a bearing for the shaft carrying theupper roll, pivotal means for the bracket providing a pivotal axisoffset laterally from the Vertical plane through the axis of the bottomroll and in a plane above the horizontal plane of the bite of the rolls,an adjustable spring engaging the bracket at a point above thehorizontal plane of the upper roll axis, said spring tending to swingthe bracket about its pivot so as to urge the upper roll toward thelower roll, a shaft disposed above but substantially parallel to thepivotal axis of the bracket, a lifter member fixed to said shaft andengaging the bracket at a point above the horizontal plane of the, pointof engagement of the spring with the bracket and an actuating arm fixedto said last-named shaft.

10. In a machine of the class described having a pair of complementalpresser rolls, a shaft for the lower roll arranged to turn in xedbearings, a movable bracket having a bearing for the shaft carrying theupper roll, pivotal means for the bracket providing a pivotal axisoffset laterally from the vertical plane through the axis of the bottomroll, and in a plane above the horizontal plane of the bite of therolls, means tending to swing the bracket about its pivotal axis so asto urge the upper roll toward the lower roll, a rock shaft having itsaxis substantially parallel to the pivotal axis of the bracket, an armsecured to said rock shaft and carrying aV lifter member engageable withthe bracket at a point above the pivotal axis of the latter, a collar onthe shaft, an actuating arm carried by said collar, and a set screwnormally fixing the collar in adjusted position on the shaft, said setscrew having a projecting portion operative by contact with av fixedpart of the machine frame to limit rotation of the rock shaft andthereby to limit turning of the bracket.

BERNARD S. STEINER..

